NEW funding could help police and partner agencies tackle child exploitation.

This week, the Government announced £40 million to protect children and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and to crack down on offenders.

The funding will go towards a new Centre of Expertise on child sexual abuse, an extra £20 million for the National Crime Agency to tackle online child sexual exploitation, £2.2 million for organisations working to protect children at risk of trafficking and the launch of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates (ICTAs).

Although the funds will not go directly to local police forces, Detective Inspector Karen Warner of North Yorkshire Police said she was hopeful they would help improve the prevention and detection of child abuse.

She said: “Multi-agency working is the only way that meaningful and positive steps can be taken to provide victims with all the support they need and in bringing offenders to justice.

“Supporting victims, and their families to cope and recover is neither easy or quick. Support has to be made available in both the immediate aftermath and in the longer term. Work also needs to start at an early age with both children and parents to educate them and enable them to take preventative measures. North Yorkshire Police is actively working with schools and support services to deliver awareness raising within schools.” Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive, said: “For more than two years we have demanded the Government fix a flaw in the law to stop adults sending sexually explicit messages to children. But it is still dragging its feet. These kinds of messages are often the first step in grooming children and if the Government is serious about tackling child exploitation, it could take action today.”